Page 7 of Empire of Ache & Ruin

“How did you do that?” I ask, not bothering to hide how proud I am of her skills.

“I’m good at what I do. That’s how. Please let me come with you.” She shuts her computer and jumps to her feet. “To the gala.”

“I haven’t decided if I’m using the invitations. I was willing to risk a favor from the Italian mob for something big. A party doesn’t seem worth it. I can meet him at his campaign office. Or reach out to Chuck.” I’m thinking aloud at this point.

Yes, to beat the corrupt senator at his own game I am going to need a little help from someone who doesn’t care about breaking a few rules. But I never wanted Fisher and Gardenia so involved in this. They’re my team. They’re here to help. But I was hoping they would do it from the safety of this hotel room. And that the Italian mob would never learn their true identities.

“I told you from the beginning. I don’t want you to take unnecessary risks on my behalf. This whole plan is all on me. Do you understand?” I shift my attention between Fisher and Gardenia.

“Tristan, your father was my friend. I promised I would watch over you and Freya.” Fisher’s eyes fill with sadness as if recalling the moment he made that promise.

“I’m sure dropping everything back at home to come with me to New York was not what Dad had in mind.” I cross my arms over my chest. “And now this?” I point toward the door as a reference to the doctor the mob sent to help us.

Fuck we are in deep with them now.

“I’m with you all the way.” Fisher shrugs.

“Me too.” Gardenia beams at me.

“Are we voting on something?” My friend Jacob Stewart appears at the suite door. “Whatever it is, I’m in too.” He makes a beeline to me, overtly assessing my physical state. Fuck. Of course, he knows about the sex worker and the non-incident. “So how hot was this mystery woman?” he chuckles.

“Fuck off.” I walk to the bar cart to pour myself a drink. For a moment I hesitate with the bottle. Did she spike the whole bottle or just my glass? Fuck it. I’m not about to waste a bottle of good whiskey. I pour two ounces in a tumbler and drink.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to scout the bar properly.” Jacob pats me on the back before he takes the bottle from me and pours himself a glass.

“The plan was for everyone to stay home tonight.” I glare at Gardenia, who tagged along at the last minute because she swore the only way to hack the hotel security was to be here in person.

“I’m sorry,” Gardenia mumbles.

“Well?” Jacob sips from his tumbler. “Is Santino going to help you or what?”

“Yeah, he is.” I nod. “Rex is definitely interested in adding another senator to his collection.”

“And…” Gardenia skips over to the bar cart and laces her arm through Jacob’s. “They gave us super exclusive invitations to a super fancy party at the Senator’s mansion in Bedford.”

“Bedford?” Jacob winces in my direction. “That’s a bit too close to home, don’t you think? Would the Senator suspect who you are if you tell him you live down the street from him?”

“He won’t. Mom’s attorney sold our house after we left for the UK. It’s had two owners in the past twenty years. To them, I’m just the new guy. I’ll be Fitzwilliam Archer, a real estate mogul who has decided to come back to the States after making billions abroad. It makes sense for someone like Archer to want to associate himself with an influential politician. He won’t suspect a thing.” I knock back the rest of my drink to wash down the bitter taste in my mouth. Making friends with Senator Davis is going to be hell.

“As I said. I’m in.” Jacob raises his glass to me.

“Then it’s settled.” My gaze darts around the room as my headache eases a bit. “We have a week to prepare. While we’re at the mansion, I want to recover Mom’s diamond.”

“You don’t even know if it’s there.” Shaking his head, Fisher makes his way toward Jacob and the bottle of whiskey. “Or if the Senator still has it.”

“Gardenia has been keeping an eye out for it. The sale of an eight-point-five-carat pink diamond would be hard to hide.” I sit on the upholstered chair across from Gardenia, my mind sharper by the second. Truth is, this plan for revenge is the one glimmer of light in my life. I feel alive when I make plans to recover everything Mom lost to the Senator’s greed. “I’m sure the mansion’s layout and blueprints are public record.”

“I’m on it.” Gardenia beams at me.

“Discreetly. The Senator cannot know we’re coming for him.” I brace my arms on my knees.

“I know.” She rolls her eyes, a gesture that makes her look younger than her twenty-three years. “I wasn’t planning to show up to city hall and put in a request for the blueprints. I’m sure I can just hack in and download a digital copy. I’ll figure it out.”

“Fisher, you’ll be on comms.” I nod in his direction. “I need Jacob with us, just in case. The fundraiser will be full of wealthy people just getting wasted and flaunting their influence. But you never know.”

“Of course. Whatever you need,” Fisher agrees without hesitation.

“Wait.” Gardenia grins at me. “Us? As in you and me at the Gala? I can come with you?”

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